Keeping Things Real

The Group Insurance Commission or GIC here in Massachusetts is at it again. Fellow public employees, active and retired, will recall last year’s efforts by the commission to bring health costs under control. I’d like to think attention was paid to questioning spiraling health care increases, particularly from pharmaceuticals, when the GIC set last year’s rates and policies. However, the cost controlling aspect of last year’s adventures in rate setting became less about holding-the-line on increased costs, and more about shifting all the increases to the subscribers.

Last year, subscribers found deductible increases doubling, retirees had co-pays in medi-gap insurances doubling, and some drugs were removed from formularies. We survived that one, although as a retiree, I noticed my health insurance premium increased 13% over 2016. That cost change does not include increases from raising the deductibles (a 67% increase for individuals last time around) or increases to co-pays, particularly targeted toward retired members last year.

The GIC held a meeting last year and seemed shocked that GIC members from across the Commonwealth were upset by these increases.

Now before anyone goes all “you should be glad you have health insurance at all” on me, yes I am glad to have this benefit. I too, have experienced private sector insurance increases and realize that health coverage increases are pretty steep no matter whom you work for. Unless of course, you happen to be a member of Congress and get something pretty sweet for practically no cost – but that’s another story for another day.

So fast forward to 2018. In fact, let’s go right to January 19, 2018 and the GIC Commissioner’s regular monthly meeting. This time, the Commissioners decided to eliminate some of the plans and offer fewer health care choices. Read about which ones here, but interestingly three plans that were eliminated from the GIC’s offerings are ones that serve half of the GIC’s 442,000 members (that would be Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts, and Fallon). Read the Boston Business Journal article to get more specifics on which plans made the cut and which did not. If you believe Governor Baker, “practically everybody” will be able to keep the same trusted doctors and hospitals with whom they have an established relationship. On behalf of the 50% of us who are going to need to change plans, I say we shall see.

GIC members may have an opportunity to find out more as the Commission takes this information on the road around the Commonwealth. In Lowell, that opportunity presents itself this Thursday evening, January 25 (5 pm) at UML’s O’Leary Library on South Campus (Rom 222). That address is

UMass Lowell

O’Leary Library*, Room 222 (South Campus)

61 Wilder Street

Lowell, MA 01854

Parking: Wilder Lot/Visitor Metered Parking Lot

You must RSVP to attend the meeting. Please be sure to do that by emailing the GIC at gic.events@massmail.state.ma.us. The link below should take you to the GIC’s flyer for other venues across the state.